In a ceremony presenting DoD employees' donations to the charitable giving drive, Lynn praised Defense workers for the $17.2 million they gave during the past year.

"The department as a whole is not immune to tough economic realities," Lynn said, according to a DoD news release. "While we confront these hardships, there are those out there for whom the times are even tougher. In these challenging times, their struggles are a challenge to us all."

The CFC has not yet released its 2010 fundraising total. In 2009, the campaign raised $282.6 million nationally.